British Army ready to drop its squad light Machine Guns


British Army infantryman with an FN Minimi light machine gun

The British Army is set to move away from its use of the FN Para Minimi or L110A2/A3. During a seminar at the 2018 Future Soldier Technology conference, held in London 12th-14th March, the CO of the British Army’s Infantry Trials and Development Unit confirmed that the L110A2/A3 would be dropped. The move will widen the debate around suppressive vs precision fire.

Talk of abandoning the 5.56x45mm Minimi began back in 2016 as an effort to ‘fight light’ and remove some of the weight burdens at the dismounted infantry section level. At the seminar last week Lt.Col. Nick Serle of the Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) explained that “We want to reduce the burden and there are better ways to provide suppression through precision.” The L7A2 general purpose machine gun, also known as the FN MAG, however, will remain in use at the platoon level.

The move away from belt-fed light machine guns mirrors that of the US Marine Corps 2010 decision to transition away from the M249, their own version of the Minimi, to the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle for higher rates of precision fire. In British terms, the infantry is moving back towards the initially envisaged role of the L86 Light Support Weapon.

The British Army adopted the L110A2 in 2004, following operational use in Afghanistan, to replace the L86A2 Light Support Weapon. With a 100 round belt, the L110A2 weighs 8.5kg or 18.7 lbs. With British operations winding down in Afghanistan the debate about precision vs suppression has raged with Lt.Col. Serle admitting the decision to remove the LMG from fire teams had been taken with a ‘heavy heart’.

MilTech has also reported that at another Future Soldier Technology seminar Lt.Col. Alex Hutton, Senior Requirements Manager of Soldier Training and Special Programmes, Defence Equipment and Support confirmed that in addition to relying more heavily on the individual rifleman the British Army will seek to increase its number of 7.62×51mm L129A1 designated marksman rifles. The ‘Sharpshooter Rifle’ entered service in 2010 and the British Army currently has over 3,000 in service. Manufactured by Lewis Machine & Tool, a tender for more L129A1’s has not yet been announced. It seems that the British Army now firmly believes that precision fire is the key to suppression.

Russian ultimatum to the last rebel holdouts in Eastern Ghouta: "Surrender or die here"


Syrian soldiers supervise the evacuation of rebels and their families from Eastern Ghouta

Syria and its ally Russia have threatened to resume bombing the final opposition holdout of Douma in Eastern Ghouta unless rebels there agree to evacuate, sources told AFP on Tuesday.

Jaish al-Islam, the powerful Islamist faction that holds Douma, had hoped that talks with Moscow would result in their staying in the town, instead of being bused out like other rebels. But negotiations have stalled and Russia has demanded a full withdrawal from Douma, two opposition sources close to the negotiations said.

‘At the end of their meeting Monday, the Russians gave Jaish al-Islam two choices: surrender or die here,’ one of them told AFP.

Russia gave the group a few days to decide before they will order a military assault on the town, they said.

The source said Moscow urged them to follow the example of Faylaq al-Rahman, another Islamist faction that agreed last week to withdraw from its zone in Ghouta after immense military pressure. Russia has brokered deals with Faylaq and another hardline group that has seen more than 17,000 rebels, their relatives, and other civilians bused out of Ghouta.

Before they faltered, talks over Douma's fate had envisioned Jaish al-Islam laying down its heavy weapons in exchange for government-provided water and electricity returning to the town. Douma had been relatively calm as negotiations were underway, without the heavy bombing raining on other towns. But Moscow was no longer willing to accept a special exception for Douma, the second opposition source told AFP.

‘The Russians don't want an agreement for Douma that's different from other parts of Ghouta, but Jaish al-Islam wants to stay and doesn't want any residents to leave,’ the source said.

‘They gave them an ultimatum,’ the source said, adding that the group had ‘until Wednesday or Thursday’ to respond.

Al-Watan, a newspaper close to the Syrian government, reported Tuesday that military forces were already amassing around Douma.

‘All forces involved in Eastern Ghouta are heading towards Douma ahead of a massive military operation if the terrorists of Jaish al-Islam do not agree to hand over the city and leave,’ the daily said, citing a military source.

Syrian troops have already captured more than 90 percent of Eastern Ghouta through a blistering assault that has killed more than 1,600 civilians.

This can be some form of rehabilitation. For one you're making them less dependent on their organizations. Whatever they may claim, very few people become insurgents on the basis of ideology only, mostly do it for economic reasons. Also giving ex-guerrillas designated houses makes it easier for security forces to keep tabs on them.

Counter-insurgency sometimes need unorthodox, if not bizarre solutions besides "kill 'em all".

Lim Kit Siang denies HARAPAN is out to disband the RAMD if it becomes Federal government




PETALING JAYA: DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has denied a claim by Prime Minister Najib Razak that the Royal Malay Regiment might be disbanded if Pakatan Harapan (PH) takes over Putrajaya in the 14th general election (GE14).

He said DAP would never support such a move and would instead ensure that under a PH federal government, the regiment would reach greater heights as a premier defence force of the country.

He said Najib was trying to fish for police and army votes when he reportedly claimed that “certain quarters” wanted to break up the regiment because it was supposedly not in line with the concept of “Malaysian Malaysia”.

“He warned that the armed forces and the police may be trimmed in size as ‘the other side believes the civil service is too bloated’,” Kit Siang said in a statement following his speech at a “kopitiam” talk in Simpang Renggam, Johor, this morning.

The Gelang Patah MP advised Najib to apologise for the “fake news”.

On Friday, Najib had told a dinner gathering with the armed forces and police in Kuala Lumpur that the people should choose a government that was capable of setting the proper direction for the nation. He said a leadership that did not understand the aspirations of the country would reduce the size of its civil service, including that of the armed forces, the police and educational services.

“It is not that I want to raise this sensitive issue but I want all of us to realise and appreciate the fact that we need to choose the most suitable and precise leadership for the aspirations and future of our country together,” Najib said.

Kit Siang also said he endorsed the statement by Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) president Brigadier-General (Rtd) Mohd Arshad Raji who said that it would be “virtually impossible” for any party to disband the Royal Malay Regiment due to constitutional safeguards as well as the unit’s long history.

In his statement today, Arshad said he and many other retired Royal Malay Regiment officers and other ranks were “puzzled, confused and apprehensive” over Najib’s remarks.

sos

Malaysian Army wants to enlist women as commandos



For the first time, the Malaysian Army intends to enlist women as commandos in its Special Forces Regiment to further strengthen the outfit.

Army Chief General Tan Sri Zulkiple Kassim said it was among the efforts to expand the role of women in the army.

“If we ask women, they are willing (to undergo commando training), but we as an organisation need to study the matter,” he told reporters after launching a book on the history of women’s involvement in the military since 1965 entitled ‘Srikandi Tentera Darat’ here today.

Earlier, Zulkiple held a dialogue session and meeting with more than 500 Army women officers, staff and veterans.


Brigadier General S. Suriakala

Meanwhile, Army Women Affairs Committee chairman Brigadier General S. Suriakala (above) said it was a good proposal and the committee fully supported it. She said that women personnel should be given the same opportunity as men in the armed forces.

“We are definitely considering and open to the idea but the matter needs to be studied thoroughly,” she said.

sos

Deftech proposes new SARP Unmanned ground Vehicle (UGV) to the Malaysian Armed Forces



Jointly produced by the Turkish companies Aselsan and Katmerciler, the SARP UGV is being promoted to the Malaysian Special Forces by local contractor Deftech during DSA 2018 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

According to Deftech, the SARP UGV is mainly dedicated to urban warfare missions in support of Malaysian Police and Army Special Forces.

The SAR UGV is mainly composed on the Aselsan SARP Remote-Controlled Weapon Station and Katmerciler’s UKAP UGV.

The UKAP is powered by a sole battery providing up to 5 hours of operational time. It has an empty weight of 1000 kg and a maximum payload of 2 tons. Tracks are composed of rubber and alloy steel. The UGV has a maximum speed of 17 km/h.

Once integrated on an UGV platform, the SARP turret allows the operator to remain away from dangerous zones. Secure, encrypted and jamming free communication capabilities enable the system to be operated in distant control points of critical infrastructures.

Wireless SARP is an advanced remotely operated stabilized weapon station that combines high-precision reconnaissance capabilities with excellent firepower, provided by either 12.7 mm machine gun, 7.62 mm machine gun, or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher.

sos

Hanwha Defense System's Tigon 6x6 APC goes on trial in Malaysia



Hanwha Defense Systems selected DSA 2018 in Kuala Lumpur as the location to unveil its new Tigon 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle.

In fact, soon after the exhibition, the giant South Korean defence conglomerate will be conducting a fortnight-long trial with the Malaysian Army for this new-generation vehicle. The Tigon is a successor to the Black Fox, which was developed by Doosan DST, and which was acquired by the Indonesian Army.

Four different weapon systems are currently on offer for the Tigon: a crew-served 12.7mm machine gun, and three types of RWS ranging from 12.7mm machine gun to 30mm cannon to 90mm gun. The vehicle’s weight varies from 21t to 22t depending on what weapon is selected.

The actual vehicle that will be used for the trials was exhibited on a stand belonging to AVP Engineering, a Malaysian company that has partnered with Hanwha for a number of years.

The Malaysian Army has long held an ambition for a 6x6 APC, especially for the type of United Nations peacekeeping mission that Malaysia is currently performing in Lebanon. There were once reports connecting the Anoa, a 6x6 APC from PT Pindad in Indonesia, to the Malaysian Army, but such a deal never materialised.

Doosan, which was since absorbed by Hanwha, had previously demonstrated the Black Fox to the Malaysian Army.

If the Tigon is selected by Malaysia, Hanwha would make the hull and subsystems while AVP Engineering would outfit the interior as part of a transfer of technology agreement.

sos

DSA 2018 heats up as 4 defence companies use the exhibition to showcase potential SOF vehicles for Malaysian Armed Forces


The potential SOF vehicles for the Malaysian Armed Forces

The competition is hotting up for new special operations vehicles for special forces and airborne units of the Malaysian Army, with a quartet of companies exhibiting their designs at DSA 2018 in Kuala Lumpur in anticipation of trials later this year.

Three contenders came from Malaysian companies while the fourth heralded from the UAE.

One was the Special Operation Vehicle from Cendana Auto, with the project kicking off two years ago. The company displayed two SOF vehicle variants – a 1.8t light strike vehicle (pictured bottom left) and a longer 2.2t utility vehicle suitable for carrying up to 12 troops.

Keith Bulman, the vehicle’s designer, said the universal chassis was custom-made for these vehicles and for the Malaysian climate and terrain. He described the advantages of the fit-for-purpose vehicle having a bespoke design for Malaysia.

These vehicles have a low centre of gravity, light weight employ a 2.8-litre Mercedes-Benz diesel engine and ZF transmission to obtain a maximum road speed of 170km/h. The radiator is laid flat to minimise the risk from gunfire, while the engine is mid-mounted.

Development is believed to be around 90% complete, although the latest body panels were not ready for installation in time for the exhibition in the Malaysian capital. The vehicle measures 4.95m long, 1.85m wide and 1.85m high.

Cendano is also looking at export potential with other countries in Southeast Asia, such as the Philippines, also in the market for such a vehicle.
The prototypes were seen fitted with M10 and M08 light machine gun mounts from Danish company Rubtec.

Another SOF vehicle platform at DSA 2018 came from Kembara Suci (KSSB) (pictured top left), and again it was designed entirely with the Malaysian Army requirement in mind. This 4x4 Special Operation Vehicle’s kerb weight is 2,010kg, plus it possesses a payload capacity of 1,500kg.

Mohd Azfaruddin Fitri B. Mohamad Zaini, an engineer at KSSB, told Shephard that it uses a commercial chassis, 3.2-litre 197hp turbo-diesel engine and six-speed gearbox but he declined to state which company they were from.

Operated by a crew of four, it is suitable for utility, patrol and fast attack missions. The vehicle’s dimensions are listed as 5.362m long, 1.86m wide and 1.815m high.
The prototype was put together in rapid time and Zaini said the vehicle had already attracted interested from several Asian customers.

The third contender, again from a Malaysian company, was the GK-M1 from Weststar (pictured top right). The GK-M1 family of vehicles is derived from a 4x4 light tactical vehicle from the CTV Cho company in Thailand and is widely fielded by the Royal Thai Army.

The GKM1-SOV has been in development since 2012. Weighing 3t, it uses either a Toyota 2.5-litre or 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission. It can carry five soldiers.

A Weststar spokesman noted that the Royal Brunei Land Forces had already tested the GKM1-SOV, with this being one of six vehicle contenders in a competition that is still waiting for a winner to be announced.

The fourth SOF vehicle platform on show came from Nimr in the UAE (pictured bottom right). Last November Nimr announced a tie-up with Malaysian firm DefTech acting as a marketing, sales and logistics partner and potentially a future assembly centre if regional vehicle sales are achieved.

Its Ajban Long Range Special Operations Vehicle (LRSOV) offering, one of which was displayed at the show in Malaysia, is designed for self-sufficient operations lasting up to ten days at a time. It can carry 4-5 soldiers. It has an under-slung capability by CH-47 helicopter and smoke grenade launchers mounted front and aft.

sos

This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 17 2018, 10:07 AM

I think more as replacement for smaller APCs Condor or SIBMAS. Those are too old already.

The NSM seems very tiny for something designed to be shot at large warships.



This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 18 2018, 04:40 PM

Got there written 'Scale 1: 1'. Soooo.....

Also compared with its contemporaries, which is monstrous by comparison to the NSM, like the PRC Chaoxun-1 AShM





This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 19 2018, 07:38 AM

Malaysian government inks RM 17.8 billion worth of defence deals during DSA 2018



The heavy investment by the country to raise its defence technology capabilities proves the caretaker government does not view the security of the people and external threats lightly.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said this was evident from the signing of agreements worth RM17.8 billion in conjunction with Defence Services Asia 2018 (DSA 2018) and National Security Asia (Natsec) 2018 exhibitions here today.

"The agreements signed at DSA 2018 and Natsec 2018 today proved the (caretaker) government takes seriously the needs of new technology in combating security threats such as cyber attacks and control in Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom).

"It also shows the confidence of foreign countries to cooperate in developing security technology and the national defence of the country," he told reporters here today.

According to him, the move to improve defence technology is also a positive step taken by several security agencies under the caretaker Home Ministry and caretaker Defence Ministry.

The caretaker government through the caretaker Home Ministry and caretaker Defence Ministry signed eight contracts, three memorandums of understanding (MoU), 11 letters of acceptance and another agreement worth RM17.8 billion in total.

Earlier, caretaker Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said most of the contracts were contributed by six offset programmes worth about RM14.4 billion.

"The offset programme is the best alternative to raise the defence capability of the country to obtain latest military technology from several leading defence economies including transfer of technology and know-how to our local industry to create efficient engineering and reduce dependence on foreign companies," said Hishammuddin.

sos


I wonder what are these deals are?

What?

Well if u see the pic again, just under the 'Joint Strike Missile' (which is the land attack version of the NSM), it is written 'scale 1:1'.

That means that this is a life-sized model. Get it? Here's another photo just in case you still don't see it:



This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 19 2018, 08:58 AM

AFAIK they only have NSM for anti-ship mission and JSM for land-attack missions.

For you, it probably looked bigger bcoz dun have anything to refer the missile size to. Here we have reference of the missile to the reps, so we can see the proportions of the missile matches the reps standing beside it.

here's another photo so u can see what I'm talking about:

How about destructive level? I see from specs NSM have around 120kg of HE-frag warhead only.

I hear Exocet have shaped charge plus it has Zirconium as part of the missile casing, making it a double whammy: The shaped charge's plasma jet cuts through the hull, while the flammable Zirconium acts as an incendiary charge and (with what is left of the missile fuel) burn the insides of the ship.

This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 19 2018, 01:50 PM

Deftech unveils battlefield reconnaissance version of the AV8



Malaysia's DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies (Deftech) officially unveiled a surveillance variant of its Gempita 8x8 wheeled armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) for the Malaysian Army at the 16-19 April Defence Services Asia 2018 (DSA 2018) exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

Named the AV8 Gempita SURV, the vehicle is equipped with a telescopic surveillance (electro-optical and radar) mast designed to provide battlefield commanders with an enhanced situational awareness. “The platform’s classified onboard radar system is a key enabler in compressing the cycle between acquiring and destroying a target,” a company official told Jane’s .

Jane’s understands that the vehicle, which was first seen a few weeks ago in images provided by the official Berita Tentera Darat Malaysia (BTDM) news portal, is fitted with the Rheinmetall Vingtaqs II target acquisition system. The vehicle is also fitted with a remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) featuring a 12.7 mm machine gun.

“The SURV will be employed by both the armoured regiment and the mechanised infantry units of the Malaysian Army,” said Deftch Group CEO Amril Samsudin, adding that the platform, which recently entered service, “will provide an organic surveillance capability to detect any aggressor tank or armoured formations”.

Moreover, the company displayed for the first time at DSA its first AV8 variant featuring an RCWS. Named the AV8 Gempita RCWS, this variant, which is also equipped with a 12.7 mm gun, entered in service with the Malaysian Army’s mechanised infantry units in 2017.

sos

This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Apr 20 2018, 07:46 AM

I find it bizarre that such people very familiar with weapons (c'mon, an Arabic wedding isn't complete without people shooting into the air). Arabs would be very bad at fighting wars themselves.

Pasukan Gerakan Am (PGA) rearming itself with new carbines



The General Operations Force or Pasukan Gerakan Am (PGA) is replacing the legendary Colt M16A1 assault rifle with another Colt fiream, the Advance Colt Carbine – Monolithic (ACC-M). The first batch of some 3000 ACC-M has already been delivered by SMEO last year while another batch of around 3000 units are expected in the second quarter of 2018.

PDRM ordered 15,000 ACC-M rifles from SME Ordnance Sdn Bhd (early last year) with the deliveries to be completed within five years. PDRM has also ordered 500 Advanced Piston Carbine (APC) from SMEO last year together with 50 9-inch M203 under-barrel launchers for VAT 69.

sos



PDRM now rifles better than ATM ones?

PAK-FA (Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, literally "Prospective Aviation Complex of Frontline Aviation) is the RuAF program for a 5th gen stealth fighter, in which the Su-57 is the result of the program. Sukhoi's own internal designation for the Su-57 is the T-50.

FGFA (Fifth Gen Fighter Aircraft) is the Su-57 version optimized for the Indian Air Force and was supposed to be jointly built by HAL. It is designed only as a two-seater fighter and is supposed to use Indian-made missiles and bombs.